By Paddy Regester
The 2020 Suncorp Team Girls Cup is just weeks away and, if 2019’s preseason tournament is anything to judge by, we should be in four a huge weekend of netball.
Most preseason tournaments usually descend into blowouts and training runs, so it was amazing to see all eight teams come out swinging in Brisbane last year and put on an incredible show.
This year’s tournament in Sydney has no shortage of storylines, so let’s have a look at what we can expect to see at the 2020 Suncorp Team Girls Cup.
New stadium
Much like last year at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena (then Queensland State Netball Centre) the Suncorp Team Girls Cup will be held in a brand-new stadium, this time at Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney Olympic Park.
The new home of the NSW Swifts and GIANTS Netball is pretty easy on the eyes (judging by the photo below) and should act as the perfect stage for the tournament.
We can’t wait to see what it looks like with a netball court laid down and filled to the rafters with screaming netball fans.
New Players
Unlike previous seasons, we don’t have a slew of new faces coming into the league in 2020.
With Kayla Cullen announcing her pregnancy earlier in the year, Jamaican international Jodi-Ann Ward will be the only player who hasn’t played in Australia in one form or another.
Ward, who spent last season playing for the Severn Stars in the UK, will slot into the goal defence spot left vacant by April Brandley at the Magpies.
With the Magpies coming into the 2020 season looking a very different team to last year, how Ward and goal keeper Geva Mentor work together could prove critical to Collingwood’s success going forward.
New Clubs
Now this is where things get a little more interesting. Who doesn’t love seeing players hit the court in a different coloured dress for the first time?
Lenize Potgieter moving to the Thunderbirds from the Firebirds could be a huge move for the team, particularly after losing Maria Folau and with Sasha Glasgow out for the foreseeable future.
If she can get back to pre-injury form, Vixens new recruit Kate Eddy could be the ultimate replacement for one of the best to play the wing defence position in Renae Ingles.
Speaking of the Vixens, the Firebirds picked up Lara Dunkley, Ine-Mari Venter and Rudi Ellis from Melbourne. All three are incredibly promising up-and-comers who should all thrive with the added court time they should receive in Queensland.
The next generation
Maybe the most exciting part of any preseason tournament is seeing the next generation of talent get an opportunity to show us what they are made of.
And this year is no different.
There will be a lot of eyes on young GIANTS midcourter Maddie Hay, who was given a full-time contract after Kim Green’s retirement at the end of last season.
How she operates with Jamie-Lee Price and Rebel Rising Star Amy Parmenter could dictate whether or not the GIANTS play finals in 2020.
The GIANTS also have two of the most exciting young defenders in Australia in Teigan O’Shannassy and Matilda McDonell sitting behind 2019 starters Kristiana Manu’a and Sam Poolman.
Given the GIANTS allowed the third most goals in 2019, this could be an area of the court Head Coach Julie Fitzgerald may look to shake up.
Until Sasha Glasgow returns, Adelaide will be desperate to find someone who can play alongside Lenize Potgieter in the shooting circle.
Charlee Hodges is the obvious choice but look for former Magpie Samantha Gooden to make Head Coach Tania Obst’s decision very difficult.
With Mahalia Cassidy out for the foreseeable future, recovering from an ACL injury, a spot alongside Gabi Simpson and Jemma Mi-Mi in the Firebirds midcourt is up for grabs.
Expect to see a massive push from newest recruit Lara Dunkley and elevated training partner Macy Gardner when they take to the court during the Team Girls Cup.
